TOWN COUNCIL
JAMESTOWN, RHODE ISLAND
September 29, 1997
A special meeting of the Jamestown Town Council was called to order at the
Town Hall, 93 Narragansett Avenue, at 7:35 PM by Council President Craig
A. Amerigian. The following members were present:
David E. Dolce, Vice President
William H. Murphy
Ellicott Wright
(Councilor Fred F. Pease arrived at 7:40 PM.)
Also present were:
Frances H. Shocket, Town Administrator
Theresa C. Donovan, CMC, Town Clerk
Samuel Patterson, Harbor Master
(Absent: Quentin Anthony, Esq., Town Solicitor)
The special meeting was called by unanimous vote of the Council during its
regular meeting on September 22 for the purpose of discussing the
following matters as unfinished business:
Southwest Avenue Project
Future of Ambulance Building (Knowles Court)
Aquaculture Regulations
Southwest Avenue Project: (RI Department of Transportation representatives
Michael Bennett, managing engineer for highway and environmental safety
and Michael Penn, project engineer were present.) Mr. Bennett: Existing
Beavertail Road from Battery Lane to Mackerel Cove will be 28' wide; the
road at Mackerel Cove will be 30' wide, and Southwest Avenue will go from
28' to 32' wide; there will be two 12' travel lanes and two 4' shoulders;
we are planning extensive drainage rehabilitation and state of the art
pollution control devices (Councilor Pease arrived at this point); the
center lines of existing and proposed roads will be pretty much the same.
Mr. Penn: Eleven trees will be coming down; four of the eleven are
not actually on the road at all, but within the permanent drainage
easement area; red maples will be planted; the only area with significant
tree taking and no replacement is in front of the post office, where 3
trees are coming down; the policy is put trees within the State right of
way, not on private property.
Mr. Bennett: The overall size can be scaled back; in order to protect
the funds slated for this program, we would have to cancel the bids
scheduled to be opened this Friday (10/03), redesign and rebid the
project; the engineering to redesign underground utilities would be time
consuming; if we cancel the project, because of tremendous competition for
road funding throughout the state, we could not guarantee that the funding
would still be there when we are ready; this is the perfect project to try
storm water pollution devices; if the Town wants us to redesign the
project, we would ask that the Town pay for engineering costs, probably
between $30,000 and $50,000; the sidewalk material can be changed or
eliminated easily; anything beyond that (eliminating curb, changing width
of the road, drainage change) would be expensive.
Mr. Penn: We spent in excess of $50,000 for a redesign several years
ago to make it acceptable to CRMC.
Mr. Bennett: A redesign would mean it goes back through the
permitting process; it took 8 years to get CRMC and RIDEM to agree on what
they would allow regarding drainage; the Americans with Disabilities Act
requirements for sidewalks include a minimum clearance of 36", with a bump
out every 200'; the material has to be hard enough for a wheelchair to
pass over smoothly; maintenance of the sidewalk will be the Town's
responsibility and some surfaces require more attention; asphalt is
acceptable.
During the open forum that followed, the following individuals raised
questions regarding how close the road would be to their houses, whether
or not one of the sidewalks could be removed from the design, which trees
will be removed, and how speeding and parking will be controlled:
James W. Barter, 70 Southwest Avenue Michael J. Perry, 69 Southwest
Avenue
Lynn F. Berman, 136 Southwest Avenue Craig Richardson, 305 Beavertail
Road
Janet T. Walls, 132 Southwest Avenue Linda Andrade, 12 Anthem Street
Steven Braman (no address given) Albert W. Gamble, 10 Boom Street
Hazel B. Turley, 409 Seaside Drive Alden R. Walls, 132 Southwest
Avenue
Arthur H. Washburn, Jr., 32 Southwest Avenue William S. Berman, 136
Southwest Avenue
Spencer W. Potter, 191 Narragansett Avenue Deborah D. Slattery, 64
Southwest Avenue
Nancy W. Bennett, 43 Battery Lane Harrison M. Wright, 86 Clarke
Street
Kimberly Harple (?), 149 Hamilton Avenue Cheri Sheekey, 61 Southwest
Avenue
John F. McKinney, (Dudley, MA; owner 41 Southwest Avenue)
Messrs.
Bennett and Penn responded that a redesign would take 8 to 12 months,
and it would be likely that the funding would no longer be available for
the project; the elimination of one of the crosswalks and/or change in
sidewalk material could be considered and would not delay the project;
they identified which trees would be affected by the project and described
the redesign of the intersection of Southwest Avenue, Beavertail Road and
Hamilton Avenue.
Councilor Pease stated he would favor one bluestone sidewalk, but the
residents said they wanted no sidewalks.
Mr. Bennett stated a grass right of way would be level and walkable,
but not paved, and that would be a minor change that would neither
lengthen nor endanger the project.
Mr. Bennett agreed to meet anyone who is interested at Town Hall at
5:00 PM on Thursday, October 2 to then walk Southwest Avenue and address
specific concerns at each house as questions arise.
Motion by Council President Amerigian, seconded by Councilor Pease to
ask RIDOT to eliminate the sidewalk that was to be added on the east side
of Southwest Avenue, but to leave the sidewalk remaining on the east side
from Narragansett Avenue to West Street.
So unanimously voted. Councilor Dolce: I am concerned about safety on
Southwest Avenue; do you have traffic counts? Mr. Bennett: The average is
3,000 vehicles per day.
Councilor Dolce: I oppose grass sidewalks; kids will walk in the
breakdown lane.
Councilor Murphy: I agree and would prefer concrete over asphalt as
an alternative.
Mr. Bennett: We can roll stone into asphalt or concrete. Councilor
Wright: Reluctantly, I would support a paved sidewalk.
Councilor Pease: I prefer crowned macadam or bluestone (stone dust)
over asphalt or concrete.
Motion by Council President Amerigian, seconded by Councilor Pease to
retain a sidewalk on the west side using a surface of blue stone (stone
dust), not asphalt or concrete.
So unanimously voted. (Drawings were left by Messrs. Bennett and Penn
for public reference.)
(Council President Amerigian called a recess at 9:40 PM, as which point
Councilor Dolce left the meeting; the meeting resumed at 9:45 PM.)
Future of Ambulance Building (Knowles Court): Ms. Shocket: We do not have
any firm figures for renovation of the existing facility; I recommend
looking at alternative sites because of duplicate sites that could have
shared facilities; a combined public safety location would best
accommodate future scenarios, whether the agencies remain voluntary or
paid part time; the Town owns the land and facility on Knowles Court; this
may be our singular opportunity to resolve the parking problem as well as
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Town funded services.
Ambulance Commander Patti Campo: The Ambulance Association consists
of 53 members, at least 75% of which overlap from the Fire Department.
Council President Amerigian: The cost of moving and building a new
barn is between $250,000 and $360,000.
Donald Richardson: We are proposing a 960 square feet addition.
Thomas Greig: Was turning the Muksian property into a parking lot
ever considered? It would be cheaper to do that.
Ms. Shocket: It makes sense to tuck a parking lot in the back off the
main street and closer to pedestrian traffic.
Councilor Murphy: Both organizations have voiced displeasure at
merging facilities.
Ms. Shocket: This is a policy question as much as it is capital; I
feel strongly that the Town should get firm figures.
Councilor Wright: I agree, but I could not tell them they have to
move when they volunteer so much time and effort to make this a better,
safer town, although your suggestions are very prudent; I suggest we take
your suggestion and get a professional to review the plans with the
volunteers to make sure it is feasible.
Motion by Councilor Wright, seconded by Councilor Murphy to authorize
the Town Administrator to expend no more than $4,000 on a building design
to add to the present ambulance barn with involvement of a representative
of the Ambulance Association and the Town.
So unanimously voted. Councilor Pease: An addition there will
preclude parking possibilities at Knowles Court for many years to come;
also, the Town would like to have control over the Muksian lot.
Gary Girard: There are a lot of activity and parking demands at St.
Mark Church; expansion of that emergency facility and volunteer
responses will further increase the congestion in that area; if we are
spending money for an architect, spend a little more and get an opinion as
how to best use that lot and look at other sites too.
(The Clerk left the meeting at this point [10:30 PM]; the remainder of the
minutes were transcribed by her from the audiotaped recording of the
meeting.)
Aquaculture Regulations: Council President Amerigian and Mr. Patterson
reported on the recent CRMC hearing on adoption of aquaculture
regulations, with their concerns regarding opportunities for local input
and lack of adequate notice.
Motion by Council President Amerigian, seconded by Councilor Wright
to direct the Town Administrator to formulate a letter to Grover Fugate at
CRMC to give us a status report on how this is moving through committee,
when the final hearing will be and how soon we will have a copy of the
latest version of regulations to be addressed at the next hearing, and to
also contact J. Christopher Powell and firm up an obligation made to him
by Mr. Fugate regarding input from one scientist, one fisherman and one
local government representative.
So unanimously voted. Ms. Shocket noted the Ocean State Aquaculture
Association appears to be opposed to having preliminary determination
hearings at all.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before Council, motion by Councilor
Wright, seconded by Councilor Pease to adjourn the meeting at 11:07 PM.
So unanimously voted.
Attest:
Theresa C. Donovan, CMC
Town Clerk